Lobala: Sangola Eenyakune New Testament (LOQWBT)

Overview

The Lobala: Sangola Eenyakune New Testament is a translation of the New Testament into the Lobala language, spoken by approximately 65,000 people in the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo [1][2]. The translation project began in 1995 when missionary Sharon Morgan traveled to the remote village of Ngakpo, with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) providing critical aviation support to reach the area [2]. When civil war erupted in the DR Congo in 1996, foreign missionaries were forced to leave, but Congolese translators continued the work through decades of conflict and hardship, encouraged and advised by missionaries from afar [1][2]. The New Testament was dedicated on April 25, 2021, in a five-hour celebration in Gemena alongside three other New Testament translations (Mono, Pagabete, and Ngbandi-Ngiri), with Rev. Bolobo Obed, the coordinator of the Lobala translation, stating: "Now the Lobala people have the book in their hands" [1][2]. The translation was carried out under ACOTBA, the Congolese Bible translation organization directed by Rev. Goma Mabele, in partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International [2].

Language and People

Lobala (ISO 639-3: loq) is spoken by approximately 60,000 people in Northern Democratic Republic of Congo. [Glottolog: loba1239]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. Translation type: New.

References